LeBron James leaving Lakers prompts reaction from Luka, Magic

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          Shams: LeBron will enter free agency, end Lakers tenure (1:53)

          • ESPN staffJun 30, 2026, 05:51 PM ET

          For the first time since July 2018, LeBron James won't be suiting up in the purple and gold.

          James informed the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday that the franchise can move on without him because he will play elsewhere, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told ESPN's Shams Charania on Tuesday.

          It ends a tenure that began in 2018 when James stunned the sports world and signed with the Lakers from the Cleveland Cavaliers. He led the Lakers to a championship in 2020 and won his fourth NBA Finals MVP. James made history in February 2023, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most points in NBA history. Los Angeles made the playoffs in all but two of his seasons with the team.

          James is the only player in Lakers history to have averaged 20 points, five rebounds and five assists per game in more than five consecutive campaigns, hitting those marks in all eight of his seasons in Los Angeles, according to ESPN Research.

          The Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat and Cavaliers are among the teams expected to be in the running to sign James, sources told Charania.

          James' decision led to widespread reaction on social media. Here's how the internet reacted to the news.

          NBA's biggest names

          The four-time NBA champion sent his thanks to the Lakers after the franchise shared a message from president and governor Jeanie Buss. James' former Lakers teammates Luka Doncic and Dwight Howard plus Laker legends Magic Johnson and Abdul-Jabbar also chimed in.

          Rest of the sports world and beyond

          While at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio, James was an all-state wide receiver. Given today's news, it didn't take long for some NFL teams plus Ohio State and Oklahoma State to start recruiting him, while other NFL players offered their thoughts. A handful of other teams, including the NHL's Winnipeg Jets, even added their own spin to lure James. Merriam-Webster added its own comments, too.